Cold Heart
by Stephen Gallant
Summary: A warrior finds himself alone after the fateful battle at Fort Zeakdon
1. Prologue

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Cold Heart

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Prologue

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Cold… so… cold… 

We've won! he shouted in his minds eye, free from the battle and the pain at last. He held a limp form close to him as if it would be the last time that he would hold that person.

"We've won Iselda!", he screamed, almost letting the madness claim him… almost.

"Y-yes, it looks as if we have", Iselda said weakly.

"Iselda!", he shouted, startling her, "We're the only ones…"

"Hush", she said, putting a finger to his lips, "We have survived this battle against the death corps, my knight, and I do not think that we will have to worry about them ever again."

"You must save your strength ,Iselda, for you were pierced by a lancer's spear in battle." Bodies lie strewn about the two like discarded rag dolls. 

"I am wounded mortally, I fear, and I will not last the night.", Iselda told him painfully.

"NO! Don't speak of such things, love," he said agonizingly, "I do not think I could bear it if you left me after all of this…"

"I'm sorry…", Iselda said as her breathing slowed, "I truly am. Goodbye my love, goodbye Kreven Grovaire…" And then her breathing stopped.

* * * * * *

He buried her that night. Under the stars that she had loved so very, very much. Along with her he buried the others. Friend, enemy, it didn't matter anymore. The toils of war had taken so very many things from him, from everyone. The 'Lion War' had taken Delita's beloved sister, Tita. And his beloved Iselda. Almost no part of the land was left unscathed. But he didn't care for any of that now, or never would he again (or so he thought). He had buried many people. Knights had a certain amount of honor to uphold and so he didn't believe in leaving someone unburied. But neither would he do it again. He buried her under a tree in a meadow, but he lost one valuable thing that he needed most of all that night… his heart.


	2. Chapter 1: The Dark Way

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Cold Heart

Chapter 1

The steady sound of horse shoes broke the silence of the morning. _Clop. Clop. Clop. Clop._ The man upon the horse was rugged looking. His lean, muscular torso was covered with a tattered tunic and a black cape at his back. He had a large sword strapped to his back as well. The man had black hair and a scraggly beard. He looked as if he had been traveling for many days, weeks even. _Warjilis Trade City, A central trade port on the Burgross Sea. Lionel's only functioning trade port, officials tend to watch what they do here, it being a key town._ He had traveled from Fort Zeakden all the way to Warjilis in a single week! Now he was in the country of Lionel, but he didn't even know what he was doing there.

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Little did Kreven know, someone was watching him. How could he know when he was so racked up in his self pity and loathing? Ever since he had left the bloody battlefield of Zeakden behind, he had been deep in thought._ I know there must've been something more I could've done! I should've been the one to take that lancer's spear!_ Of course he had been fending off a Hokuten knight at the time, so even if he had wanted to he couldn't have done anything. But his guilt wouldn't let him forget it… he could never forget it.

He tromped through town and found himself outside of the Warjilis bar. 

"I guess I can find some comfort here…", he mused aloud.

"Maybe", said a voice behind Kreven "but only if you give me that pouch of gil at your waist first!"

Kreven turned slowly around to find the filthiest human he had ever seen before. The human was gesturing toward the pouch at his waist with a dull looking knife.

"You expect to rob me with… that?", he asked mockingly.

"Give me your money and I won't kill you traveler!", the filthy human snarled.

With that he lunged toward Kreven, but the warrior from Gallione was the quicker of the two. He punched at the thief's elbow joint and then punched downward with his other hand. The thief's shoulder came out of it's socket and the thief knew no more.

Kreven punched the thief for good measure and dragged him into the bar with him. 

He was met with a few curious stares, but nothing threatening. He took a seat in the dark reaches of the bar and called for the barkeep.

"What'll it be good sirs?", the man asked, glancing at the thief curiously.

"My _friend_ here had a run in with a band of rouges and he needs a place to stay", Kreven said to the man "he has assured me that he will pay for everything that _we_ consume when he is done _resting._"

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"Is your friend alright sir? Might I call a healer for him?"

"No I'm sure he's fine, just tired. If you would, I'll take a beer."

"Oh, of course sir right away!"

And with that the barkeep rushed off to serve his _customer_.

Kreven left after a few rounds, telling the barkeep that his friend would "gladly" pay for the ale and room charges. Kreven chuckled mirthlessly.

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The thief snuck away during the night and left behind him a silent bar. Silent because only the dead drank there now. He was not really a human as Kreven had thought. That is to say he _was_ a human before he was killed, but after that he had become something else… something not quite alive and something not quite dead… he had become a wraith.

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Kreven traveled to the port, Horse in tow, to get passage to Limberry castle. He stopped by the port master's office to gain passage. He stepped into a well-lit room with a few mismatched chairs and a desk near the back. The port master was a well-rounded man who liked his conveniences. He was well into middle age with hair missing in patches and a square-shaped face. He was a kindly man and told Kreven that a ship was due in that very afternoon and that he would gain Kreven passage for 150 Gil. Kreven gladly agreed as he would find work as a soldier (not a knight) in Limberry castle anyway. So he sat down to wait whole the port master set out to the port to secure him passage. It was not long before the post master came back and told Kreven that the ship was in port and would gladly take him to Limberry (as it was their next destination) after they dropped off some cargo in Warjilis. So Kreven set off for the port along with his horse, Gimper (named so because it limped). 

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The wraith tracked Kreven to the port and snuck on board while they were loading some cargo. Before this voyage ended, it would have it's revenge against the traveler who had so shamed it. And it was getting hungry for blood again. 


End file.
